Birth Story Circles in Tampa Bay
Photo thanks to Dear Little One
Birth is a powerful experience. Are you thinking of future parenthood, trying to conceive, or currently pregnant and spending time listening to other people’s birth stories? Or are you postpartum and found that as a parent, you have this newfound interest and appreciation in the birth stories of others?
No matter what your unique journey consists of, it may be therapeutic to tell others about your experience, and also listen in return. This is exactly why the Tampa Bay Birth Network hosts monthly birth story circles!
What happens at a birth story circle
If you haven’t attended a birth story circle before, we highly encourage it. It’s a time when you come together in a place of trust. You have the opportunity to freely narrate your birth story. Take a moment to think about your own birth journey. Was it not what you envisioned and you need healing? Was it amazing and you want to scream it from the rooftops? No matter what type of birth you had — home, hospital, birth center, cesarean, natural — your birth story matters and we want to give you the platform to TELL it. We want to HEAR it.
The history behind a birth story circle
Historically, birth story circles offer people healing as the audience consists of compassionate listeners. We value your confidentiality at Tampa Bay Birth Network and our circles are led by members and/or volunteers, and attendees agree that everything said in the circle stays in the circle. It’s a place of openness, trust, acceptance, appreciation, learning, discovery, and all the positivity and support.
Who should join
Join us if you haven’t given birth, if you were a major part of the birth of a partner, friend, or family member, if you’re a birth worker who wants to hear more about other experiences, if you have birth years ago, and want to offer your support, and if you want to enter an unbiased and warm space where your story will be valued. You can choose to share or simply come to listen.
When you attend a birth story circle, we can’t promise you’ll leave with dry eyes, but we can promise you’ll leave with a different outlook, an ah-ha moment, or with a big breath of fresh air after sharing your experience.
How to join us
What is a birth circle? A group of people coming together with a shared lived experience - of having given birth vaginally or by cesarean.
What does hosting/leading entail? Moderating a group of folks through open discussions. Birth stories are meant to be shared, and no two experiences are the same. Tampa Bay Birth Network will provide conversation prompts so you don’t have to think about what to say but just help encourage the flow of conversation.
Do I need to have a space/venue to host? No, you don’t! If you have the desire to host/lead/moderate, we can work with you to find a Circle space so that you can.
Should I provide food and beverages? That is up to you! We highly encourage this to be a free event so any expenses will be out of your pocket. Depending on what the event is, there may be 2-9 people joining the conversation.
What is our role as the birth network? We will use our social media outlets to market the event and put it on our events calendar to broadcast but you will be in charge of the group at this meeting.
I don't want to lead/moderate. Can I offer my space for an upcoming Circle? We will connect you with a host/leader! This provides additional promotional opportunities for your business with at least 3 social media accounts announcing a Birth Story Circle - via yours, ours, and by the leader/host.
Have questions? Contact Kendra Holman, Vice President of Tampa Bay Birth Network.
You can register to host and/or offer up a venue for future Circle use here. We look forward to it!
We share our upcoming events on our event calendar. Please share event links with your loved ones and invite them to take part too. And, let us know if you’re interested in being a host to a great group of attendees.